a] If the story is true, why does it matter when the person comes forward.

b] If someone is looking for any reason not to believe the story...timing is a great cover.

It could also be that the women had hoped to just forget about the incident but now that they see him running for a high office and in a new capacity to champion legislation should he win, they may feel it is just too important to refrain from speaking out any longer as what could be proposed or acted upon could possibly negatively affect women and other groups?